The Kurt Angle Show - Hard Justice 2009 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Kurt let’s get into this time in 2009 when we have a big debut and you’re wrestling two men for your TNA Title.

We’re following up on your match against Mick Foley at Victory Road which we covered last month.

The Impact after features the story of you & Foley continue but first you have a promo….

Impact 7/23/09:

“Angle had the mic in hand as he stood with the entire Mafia in the ring. He said first of all, now that he’s in control, he wants to assure everyone that nobody is getting fired. He said he’s a compassionate person. He said he wants to give the fans a great show. He said now they’re heading to Nashville, Tennessee with a list of demands. He said the front office is willing to work with them. He asked what would happen if they walked out on TNA. He said all that would be left would be a bunch of losers who would ride TNA right into the iceberg. “The fact is, TNA needs the Main Event Mafia.” That is exactly the message that the wrestlers in real life want management to believe.

Was this art imitating life with the Main Event Mafia?

How strong was the Main Event Mafia backstage?

Why does TNA always seem like whoever is champion controls the show when they also have 3 different authority figures at times - was that a big logic gap in TNA?

“Kurt said Nash, Booker T, and Steiner are willing to put their titles up for grabs for the fans’ entertainment. He said with Jeff Jarrett at home and Sting licking his wounds thousands of miles away, there’s only one person left to deal with - Mick Foley. He asked, “What does Mick Foley really do?” He said he lets the inmates run the asylum and he’s not the wrestler he once was. He said he’s just taking up space. Foley’s music interrupted. Angle’s whole promo was disguised as a heel promo, but in reality it was propaganda that matches the reality of TNA that the Millionaire’s Club has created and management has enabled.”

Were you worried that they kept booking Mick in the ring with you?

“Foley said he did make him tap. He said he wanted to get away for a while until he heard what he was trying to convince the front office of. He said on Sunday night, everyone in the Mafia backed up what they had bragged about. He said everyone else dropped the ball, and no one did worse than him. Foley said as for not being the wrestler he used to be, for ten minutes in the Impact Zone he was the wrestler he used to be. He said he ran out of gas and perhaps ran out of guts and he was the better man that night. He said he knows what it’s like to have a bad day on at least 12 occasions since he’s a 13 time champion. Foley said it’s a joke, though, to say TNA could not exist without them. Angle said for the last ten months Foley has been telling the front office that TNA would be nothing without him. He said if it weren’t for he and Joe outsmarting him, he’d still be working that front office for years to come. He told Foley, “I’m the man, not you.” He said he could kick his ass to the curb right now if he wanted to, but he’s not going to because he has one last thing he wants from him. He held up a keychain with the letters “TNA” attached. He said those are the keys to his office. He said they’re going to put those keys high on a pole and all he has to do to get his office back and save what little dignity he has is to climb his “sprained ankled ass” up that pole and grab those keys. He said if he does that, the office is his and he can save what dignity he has. He said he’d see him later tonight.”

Kurt - WHY ARE THERE ALWAYS POLE MATCHES IN TNA? WHY DID VINCE RUSSO LOVE THEM SO MUCH? I don’t understand how this is a good idea with Mick’s body in the shape it is?

“(5) Mick Foley defeated Kurt Angle via DQ in 9:00. Foley was gimpy from the start. They played up how difficult it would be for him to climb the pole. Foley managed to fight off Angle with punches and knock him to the floor. He then went for the keys again. He was very slow and Angle returned to the ring and yanked him hard to the mat. At 3:00 they cut to a break with both men down on the mat. After the break, Foley caught Angle with a double-arm DDT. Tenay was doing a good job pushing the importance of this match. Foley put on a sock and applied the Mandible Claw. I’m surprised TNA and Foley haven’t come up with a new name for Mr. Socko. Foley had Angle knocked out from the Mandible Claw. As he was about to climb and get the keys, Samoa Joe led the Mafia to the ring. Joe knocked Foley off the top rope and Foley took a dangerous looking backward flip bump onto the mat. The ref called for the bell and DQ’d Angle. (1/4*)”

A DQ in this match makes…no sense right? Why was this a good idea?

Was Mick in any condition to wrestle?

How hard is it to drag - and I’m not saying Mick on this night - but to wrestle and carry someone to a TV match when they may not be able to wrestle?

“Afterward Angle shouted at Foley as the Mafia held onto him. He said his next card will be his last card. Bobby Lashley’s music then played and he walked out onto the stage. Angle smiled and Steiner applauded. Lashley slapped hands on his way to the ring, which isn’t the best way to build to a surprise “turn” on the Mafia, but oh well. He then hugged Angle. The fans booed. Foley looked on helplessly. Lashley readied himself to punch Foley, but then turned and punched Angle and clotheslined the rest of the Mafia members. West yelled, “What’s going on here?” Tenay said, “The mixed martial arts star, the world wrestling champion, Bobby Lashley, taking it to the Main Event Mafia. Take that, Don West!” The show ended with the Mafia fuming at ringside as Lashley posed in the ring.”

Having Lashley debut like this - and turn babyface - do you think it was the right move?

Do you think it could’ve meant more to have you & Lashley in the group at the same time to build to something or was this right to keep at least one person out of the Mafia?

What did you think of Don West in his role as a heel?

We haven’t talked a lot about Don West - what are some of your favorite memories of him?

The next week on Impact…

“The show opened with Kurt Angle lecturing the Main Event Mafia about how "nobody does that" to them. He said they're taking out anyone who gets in their way.

-The Main Event Mafia walked out including Taz. Angle said somebody tried to cross the boss last week, which he said is bad for ratings, for management, for the fans, and so on. He said a severe price must be paid. He then finally mentioned Bobby Lashley by name and said they had an agreement and Lashley "took a great big dump" on it. He said the MEM doesn't do business with people who make stupid decisions like that. He asked Lashley to walk out to the ring or else they'll find him and disassemble him piece by piece.”

We don’t talk a lot about Taz in the Main Event Mafia? Do you think he added anything to the group?

Was it a waiting game for Taz to go to commentary and replace Don West? Do you think Taz was better for the product than Don?

“Lashley walked out onto the stage and to the ring. Tenay said he's a two-sport athlete, balancing MMA and TNA. Lashley said the MEM is the greatest assembly of champions ever. He said he wanted to be part of the group. He said then he saw that they weren't hungry anymore. He said he still wants titles. He said they want to steal and cheat. He said unlike Samoa Joe and Tazz, Angle can't buy him. Angle said he can't be bought because he's young and stupid. Angle bragged that they make up over 75 percent of the TNA payroll. (Yeah, and Sting and Jeff Jarrett make up 20 more percent, leaving five percent for everyone else.) Lashley said he walked out there to make Angle an offer he can't refuse. Mick Foley's music then played. Angle looked distressed.”

Does this story make any sense regarding the payroll? Does this make the company look like shit if 5 or 6 guys makes up 75 percent of the payroll?

“Foley said Lashley is right that he'll have an offer for him he can't refuse. He thanked Lashley for saving his butt last week on Impact. He said he did so by kicking MEM butt all over the Impact Zone. He said he had a favor to ask of Angle. He asked him to look into the camera and he can see the TNA executives sitting around a table. He waved at Dixie. He said they're sitting around waiting for ratings to come in because Angle claimed they can deliver ratings. Foley offered Angle a tag team match - he and Lashley versus Angle and "Big Sexy" Kevin Nash. He said it's a tag match, but the singles titles are both on the line. He said that way, if either he or Lashley pins Angle, they're the TNA Champions. Same with Nash. West said it sounded one-sided. Foley said if they win, they get the monster ratings they've been promising everyone. Angle stepped toward Lashley and said if he wants to try to show him up, it's on. Other MEM members held him back from going after Lashley.”

Was this the right way to put Lashley in the ring for the first time in TNA?

Why did TNA love having tag matches with singles matches on the line?

Do you think they mentioned Dixie so much because it made her happy?

What was your relationship like with Dixie at this time?

“(4) Mick Foley & Bobby Lashley beat Kurt Angle & Kevin Nash in 6:00 when Foley pinned Nash to become the new TNA Legends Champion. After Angle and Nash walked out, Lashley's music played but he didn't walk out. Angle whistled. West said he was the cat that ate the canary. Foley, though, came out. Angle met him on the ramp. Foley got the better of Angle and then entered the ring. Angle and Nash regrouped at ringside. This match began with three minutes left in the second hour. West said Foley has nothing left to lose. Nash and Angle took control early after the bell officially started the match.

Foley came back with a double-arm implant DDT at 4:00. West said there's no quit in Foley, but there should be. He applied the Mandible Claw on Angle. West accused Foley of using a foreign object (the sock). Nash broke it up with a big boot. Angle applied an anklelock. The lights went out and Sting's music played. When the lights came on, Sting was standing in the crowd pointing a bat at Nash and Angle. The lights went out again. When they came back on, Lashley was standing in the ring with his head bandaged. He knocked Nash out with a spear and then Foley scored a three count. (*)”

There was SO much going on in this 6 minutes - that it’s almost too much. Sting…Lashley’s first match…Mick wins a title…is this tough to navigate from your point of view?

What did you think of the Legends championship in TNA?

The next week on Impact…

“Then went to footage of Kurt Angle getting out of his limo and Eric Young, with a newly shaved head, stepping out. He put his arm around Angle said, "This will be good for all of us."

Eric Young recently returned to Impact in a big way. What did you think of Eric and your time with him in TNA?

“-As usual, the Main Event Mafia walked to the ring to introduce the show. Booker T seems like he's very amused with himself, as usual. Angle talked about Mick Foley "allegedly" winning the Legends Title last week from Kevin Nash. He said two things went wrong in that match. One, Sting was up in the crowd causing a distraction and Bobby Lashley caused damage. He said he talked to the TNA Board of Directors and they agree the decision was a sham. They said the only way they'd let the decision stand is if Nash got a rematch at Hard Justice. He said he has been forced to strike a deal because everyone is ganging up on them. He pointed to the entrance set and out walked the World Elite faction.”

Did you guys open the show way too much in TNA? Was it too much every week? Did you ever go - maybe this week we DON’T open the show?

“Young told Angle that it is his honor and privilege to be taking over TNA side-by-side with Angle. He said his men are 100 percent dedicated to the cause and willing to do whatever it takes. He said if the American fans treated them as stars, this could have all been avoided. He said it's now about more than Lashley and Foley and Sting, it's about an entire "disgusting nation that should be held personally responsible." He said the nation should feel deep terrible guilt for what they're about to do to their heroes. "Boys, let the cleansing begin," he closed.”

Do you think there were too many factions as here you have World Elite buddying up to the Main Event Mafia?

“Jeremy Borash told Foley backstage that he never thought he'd see Young and Angle together. Foley said no one is bigger than the business. He said TNA is bigger than any one wrestler. He said is going to war. Sting and Lashley walked into the room. Sting said, "It's showtime." Lashley said, "Let's do it”……

Were you happy to have Sting back and did you know you were going to be working him?

“(5) Sting defeated Brutus Magnus via tapout in 6:00.

Magnus tried to attack Sting after the match, but Sting caught him with an elbow and punched away at him in the corner. The World Elite ran out. Sting fended them off one at a time, but eventually they outnumbered and overwhelmed him. Bobby Lashley and Mick Foley made the save and cleared the ring. Tenay touted Lashley again as a former World Wrestling Champion and undefeated MMA fighter.

Angle, Steiner, and Joe charged to the ring and turned the tables once again. Hernandez came out swinging a giant chain to clear the ring of everyone except Sting, Lashley, and Foley.”

Nick Aldis was Brutus Magnus from World Elite and he recently had a tryout with WWE as a producer according to reports. We’ve had Nick on the show before…what are your thoughts on him being a producer?

The go-home Impact features…

“The show ended with Morgan pinning Styles. Angle and Sting were at ringside. Very good match, again, probably as good as any Morgan match ever. The thing about it is that when it was over, it was more impressive seeing Styles get a match out of Morgan than Morgan actually coming across like a star. However, his carbon footprint finish looked great, and there was a good post-match. Sting helped Styles to the back. The Mafia came out and talked about how they’ve had their eyes on Morgan. Morgan noted that it makes no sense since he’s been trying to get in and they continue to shut the door on him. Angle tried to play that down, but ultimately talked about doing things for the team. Morgan asked why a 13-time world champion would need help. Angle said he wasn’t asking for help, he was demanding it. Morgan didn’t respond well to that, and attacked Angle.”

Was there talk of putting Morgan in the Main Event Mafia? Was that storyline or work?

Why do you think Morgan was added to your match?

Was he a project of yours? We’ll discuss how you wrestled him at Bound for Glory in a few months but this seemed like a big deal?

Sadly you run into some trouble before we get to Hard Justice…

“Kurt Angle was arrested and taken to jail on 8/15 in Pittsburgh, got tons of national publicity largely due to Growth Hormone being found in his car, posted $1,000 on his $10,000 bond, and the next day retained his TNA world title in a three-way over Sting and Matt Morgan on PPV.

Even with fans chanting “HGH” and “You got arrested,” at him in Orlando at the PPV, TNA never acknowledged on the air anything was amiss.”

Kurt - walk me through what was going on in your life at this time?

How did you tell TNA what happened?

What was their response?

From the Observer

“TNA booking is completely different from WWE in the sense that the big picture booking of main events is done months ahead, and it takes something major to change it because any change throws the big picture out of whack. Obviously the key story is the Mafia having all the titles, with Scott Steiner & Booker T as tag champs, Samoa Joe as X champion and Kevin Nash as Legends champion. The only other way to do the big picture story would be for Morgan to have won the match and joined the Mafia, but there are plenty of reasons that wasn’t considered. If it was WWE, where things change weekly, they could have flown in A.J. Styles to replace Angle, had the substitute win the title, and change the storyline on the fly. Several in WWE noted that in the same situation, Angle would either have lost and been suspended, or possibly fired, depending on Vince McMahon’s mood at the time. But the situation absolutely would have been addressed, both for the good of Angle as a person, and just as much, because if something bad were to happen, the company can’t be seen as not caring.”

Were you happy that TNA backed you until it was all figured out?

With all the charges dropped are you glad you were able to keep working?

From the Observer

“Let’s face it. There are two things about Angle, which seem diametrically opposed, but actually are tied together. He was probably the single most driven professional wrestler in the business, one of the best of his era, an incredible athlete, and he certainly from the outside appears to have major problems. It is that drive that makes him go to lengths few would in the ring given his condition. At 40, with apparent nerve damage that has caused his arms to atrophy, he is still consumed with, at least on PPV shows, proving himself to be the best wrestler in the business. He is likely going to greater lengths for lesser returns, a cycle that is going to likely continue.”

Were you starting to feel the issues with your body and injuries at this point?

Were you seeing changes in your body? Was that why you had the prescription?

“9. Kurt Angle retained the TNA title in a three-way over Sting and Matt Morgan in 11:22.

Most likely it was Angle, the ring general in this match, who called it short. During the show, Angle met with Morgan and got Morgan to agree that they would work together, that Morgan would be in the Mafia, and that it didn’t matter which of the two of them won the match because the title would stay in the Mafia. The early part of the match saw them both beat up on Sting. Then Angle missed a charge and flew out of the ring, leaving Sting vs. Morgan. Morgan saved Angle from the scorpion deathlock. The first double-cross was Angle pulling down the ropes, which resulted in Morgan going over the top to the floor. Morgan hip tossed Angle on the floor and Angle was selling big like he was injured. In the ring, Sting had Morgan pinned with the scorpion death drop but Earl Hebner was outside the ring with Angle and when he got in, Morgan kicked out. Morgan then used the carbon footprint on Sting and went for the pin. Hebner got in late to count the fall. Angle then “recovered,” done in a manner to show he was working the selling, and pulled Hebner out of the ring so he didn’t count three. Angle then grabbed a chair and went to hit Sting, who moved and Angle hit Morgan. I think the idea was Sting and Morgan would both be down and Angle would choose to cover Morgan instead of Sting. That’s kind of how it was called, but Sting rolled away and Angle just pinned Morgan to retain the title. **¼”

Were you the one who called it to end early or was it even supposed to end early?

Did anything change with the match with your situation going on?

Why do you think Sting moved at the finish?

Were you happy with all this at the time